Empire Observatory

Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

A couple kiss on the observatory deck of the Empire State Building in New York, Dec. 24, 2011. Once considered pleasant diversions, observatory decks like the Empire State Building's have become real moneymakers.

A couple kiss on the observatory deck of the Empire State Building in New York, Dec. 24, 2011. Once considered pleasant diversions, observatory decks like the Empire State Building's have become real moneymakers. (Chang W. Lee/The New York Times)

A couple kiss on the observatory deck of the Empire State Building in New York, Dec. 24, 2011. Once considered pleasant diversions, observatory decks like the Empire State Building's have become real moneymakers.